Singles, Accas, and Handicaps: Which Bet Types Actually Make Sense?

Open any bookmaker app and you’ll be met with a wall of options: singles, accumulators, handicaps, specials, outrights, and more. For a beginner, it’s easy to get swept up by what looks exciting rather than what actually gives you the best chance of success.

This post breaks down three of the most common bet types—singles, accas, and handicaps—and asks the key question: which of them really make sense if you’re serious about building discipline and profit in betting?

Singles: The Professional’s Foundation

A single is the most straightforward type of bet: you place one stake on one outcome, and if it wins, you collect. No complications, no extra moving parts.

Why does this matter? Because singles are where you can measure your edge cleanly. Each bet is a simple test of whether your analysis was right against the price you took. There’s no hiding behind a lucky combo or a hot streak.

For anyone trying to think long-term, singles are the backbone. They let you track performance properly, apply bankroll management rules, and see clearly if you’re improving. They may look less glamorous than a 20-fold acca, but singles are how professionals build sustainable results.

“Singles are the foundation of disciplined betting—every professional starts here.”

Accumulators: Fun but Flawed

Accumulators (or “accas”) combine several selections into one bet. The appeal is obvious: link five short favourites together and suddenly you’re staring at a price of 20/1 or more. Small stake, big potential win. Bookmakers advertise them relentlessly for a reason.

But here’s the truth—accas multiply both your potential return and your risk. One loser, and the whole ticket is sunk. Even when each leg looks strong individually, the maths rarely stacks in your favour once the bookmaker’s margin is multiplied across the slip.

That doesn’t mean you should never do them. Accas can be enjoyable as small-stake entertainment, and they’re fine if you treat them as fun money. But they should never form the core of your strategy. If your plan relies on accumulators, your plan relies on luck.

Professionals keep acca stakes capped at a fraction of their normal betting unit and focus their serious money on singles, where value can actually be found.

Handicaps: Levelling the Field

Handicap betting—especially Asian Handicaps in football—is a step up in complexity, but it offers real strategic advantages.

A handicap gives one team a “head start” or “head disadvantage” to balance the contest. For example, if Manchester City are heavy favourites against a smaller side, the handicap might be set at –1.5 goals. That means City need to win by two clear goals for the bet to land.

The benefit of handicaps is twofold:

1. Better prices. Instead of taking tiny odds on a big favourite, a handicap lets you get a more meaningful return.
2. Reduced variance. Some lines, like +0.25 or –0.25 in Asian Handicaps, allow for half-wins or half-losses, smoothing out volatility over time.

Handicaps aren’t for complete beginners—you’ll need to learn how different lines settle and how they interact with your staking system. But once you grasp them, they’re one of the sharpest tools available for finding value.

So, Which Bet Types Make Sense?

If you’re betting casually for entertainment, you’ll probably always be tempted by an acca here and there, and that’s fine—so long as you treat it as fun, not strategy. But if your goal is to think like a professional, the order of priority is clear:

• Singles first – your foundation, the way to measure and grow edge.
• Handicaps second – advanced, but powerful once you understand how they work.
• Accas last – fun only, with stakes capped small.

Bookmakers thrive on punters who chase the dream of an acca win while neglecting the discipline of singles and the structure of handicaps. Flip that order, and you’re already ahead of the pack.

Key Takeaways

• Singles keep your betting process clear and measurable—they’re the professional default.
• Accas multiply margin and variance; keep them small and occasional.
• Handicaps offer smarter prices and reduced variance, but require learning.
• Long-term, success comes from discipline and structure, not entertainment slips.

Ready to Go Deeper?

This is just a snapshot of what we teach inside our full training system. If you want to move from casual bets to structured, professional thinking:

• Download our free guide: Turn the Tide – 8 Fast Fixes That Shift the Odds in Your Favour
• Check out our membership plans, where we cover every aspect of betting with discipline—from bankroll rules to advanced strategies.